Female Political Leaders Pressure Quinn on Paid Sick Leave

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A coalition of female leaders called on City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to bring the Paid Sick Time Act to a vote yesterday. Quinn has said economic conditions are not good enough yet to support the bill, which would require businesses with five or more employees to provide five days of paid sick leave each year, saying that it would place too much of a burden on the city's small businesses. Introduced by Councilwoman Gale Brewer in 2010, the legislation has the support of 37 Council members-enough to override a veto by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who opposes the bill. Addressing Quinn by name, representatives from several different unions and organizations urged the speaker to bring the bill to a full vote. When asked whether the speaker's tepid response to the bill would cost her support among women in her expected mayoral campaign next year, Brewer said, "Until it does pass, I think that she will find challenges from some of the women, but we are going to work with her to pass this legislation." To read more from City & State [click here. ](http://www.cityandstateny.com)